Bubbler fountainhead



Patented Feb. 12, 1952 BUBBLER FOUNTAINHEAD Robert A. Rosenblum,Chicago; Ill., assignor to The Dole Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application September 26, 1946, Serial No.699,484 1 Claims. (01. ace-y The present invention relates to a bubblerfountain head and more particularly to a head which may be applieddirectly to a water supply pipe and which head has means for reducin thesupply pressureto such value as to control its issue from the head atlow pressure in bubbler form.

The head of the present invention is adapted to be directly connected toa water supply pipe and, regardless of the pressure of the supply,controls the water at the outlet for convenient drinking.

Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a bubblerfountain head hav ing means by which a substantially constant lowpressure bubble flow through the head is secured regardless of thepressure of the water supplied to the head.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bubbler fountain headwhich is Simple in construction and operation and which has no partswhich can easily get out of order.

A further object of the present invention is.

to provide a bubbler fountain head which may be applied directly to awater pipe for reducing the water pressure to bubbler value at theoutlet.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a bubblerfountain head in which the pressure of the water supply is reduced, andissues from the reduction means in the form of a stream and then thestream is diffused to issue from the head in bubble formation.

In accordance with the general features of the invention there isprovided a bubbler head having a resilient flow control ring responsiveto fluid pressure to deliver a stream of substantially uniform pressureand a diffusing plate breaking up the stream into a bubbler formsuitable for ready drinking.

The above, other and further objects of the present invention will beapparent from the following description and accompanying drawmg.

An embodiment of the present invention is 11-- lustrated in theaccompanying drawing and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevatlonal view of the illustrated form of head,showing it in elevation, as connected to a, water supply pipe by acoupling;

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional view through the head of Figure1 showing the elastic ring valve member in normal position, that is,when there is no flow through the head;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the elastic ring valvemember as deflected or flexed to reduce the cross-sectional area throughthe orifice in the valve member which occurs when water under pressureis directed against the inlet side of the valve member; and

Figure 4 is a, horizontal sectional view taken in the plane of lineIV-IV of Figure 3 and showing the construction of the diffusing plate.

On the drawing:

The head of the present invention includes casing means, hereinillustrated as comprising a two-part casing having a lower part 5 and anupper part 6. The lower part 5 has a neck 1 exteriorly threaded at 8 andinteriorly bored at 9 to provide an inlet. The upper portion of thelower part 5 is enlarged as at [0 with the exterior of the enlargementformed in polygonal shape, such as hexagonal, as indicated at ll, toreceive a tool. The enlarged upper portion [0 of the' lower part 5 has athreaded bore l2 with an internal diameter greater than the externaldiameter of the neck 1.

The upper part 6 is formed with a neck ,portion l3 exteriorly threadedto engage the threaded bore [2 of the lower part 5. The neck iscounterbored at M to provide a chamber. Communicating with the chamber Mis a convergent throat 15, the maximum diameter of which is less thanthe diameter of the chamber 14. Above the throat l5 the upper part 5 iscounterbored to form a duct l6 which is open at its upper end. Thediameter of the duct i6 is greater than the smallest internal diameterof the throat IS. The

. junction of the duct IS with the throat l5 forms an annular shoulderI1.

Between the neck 13 of the upper part 6 and the lower part is a gasketJ9 to seal the joint between them to make the head leaktight.

Within thechamber I4 is a ring valve member 28 formed of elasticmaterial such as rubber .or synthetic plastic and having a centrallydisposed orifice 2! through it. The orifice 2| is of such size that itcan cooperate with the'yieldable character of the central portion of therubber ring in controlling the pressure of the fluid discharged throughthe ring. The diameter of the ring valve 20 is such as to engage thewall of the chamber I4. The axial thickness of the ring valve member 20is less than the axial height of the chamber M.

A cup'22 is arranged in upside-down position within the duct I6 and withthe wall of flange of the cup resting on the shoulder H, with thediameter of the cup making a tolerant fit within 3 the duct I6. Thebottom of the cup, that is, the top when the cup is inverted, is formedwith a plurality of perforations 23, the perforated cup constituting adiffuser interposed in the passageway through the casing.

Resting on the cup 22 is an outlet member 24 having a skirt portion 25at its lower end, the outer diameter of which makes a tight fit with thebore of the duct IS. The skirt portion of the outlet member 24 iscounterbored at 26 for a short distance in the length of the skirt.There is a central outlet bore 21 through the member 24 open at itsupper end and communicating with the counterbore 2G. The flange of theskirt portion 25, formed by reason of the counterbore 26, rests on topof the cup 22 when the parts are assembled, as may be readily observedin Figure 2. The upper end of the outlet member 24 stops short of thetop of the upper part 6 of the casing. The casing is provided withlateral outlets 28 and 29 for disposing of overflow water.

The upper part 6 of the casing is formed with a portion, above its neck,which on its exterior is shaped as a regular polygon, as indicated at30, such for example as a hexagonal shape, to receive a tool for usewith another tool applied to the lower part for securing the partstogether or for separating them as occasion should arise for so doing.

The gasket I9 is set in anannular groove 3| in the marginal portion ofthe chamber M.

The head is assembled as follows:

All of the parts being separate, the gasket I9 is introduced into thegroove 3|, the ring valve member 20 is then applied to the counterborewithin the neck 13 of the upper part 6, that is, the chamber M, andagainst the shoulder l8 whereupon the upper and lower parts are screwedtogether to make a leaktight joint between them. The ,cup 22 is then putin place in the duct I6 with its flange resting on the shoulder l'l.Then the outlet member 24 is introduced into the duct with its lowermargin resting against the cup 22. The fit of the parts is such thatthey will not become dislodged because of the flow of liquid through thehead.

When the head of the present invention is to be used, it may be attachedto a water supply pipe 32 in any manner. The construction shown employsa coupling 33 for connecting the head to the pipe 32.

It is to be understood that a valve (not shown) will be installed in thepipe 32 at some place convenient for a. person desiring to drink fromthe bubbler head. 7

In the operation of the head of the present invention, the valve in thepipe 32 is opened whereupon water under city pressure enters the inlet 9and chamber l4 against the downside of the ring valve member 20. Becauseof the pressure of the incoming water, the ring valve member will bedeformed or flexed, centrally thereof, as shown in Figure 3, a part ofthe central portion of the ring valve member being forced into the mouthof the throat l which action tends to reduce the cross-sectional area ofthe ring orifice 2| in such manner as to reduce the pressure of thewater issuing from the ring valve member 2a so that a stream ofsubstantially uniform pressure is discharged through the ring regardlessof the incoming pressure. The water issuing from the ring valve member20 will be in the form of a stream which, if not constrained, would bedischarged upwardly through the upper end of the duct I6.

In order to prevent discharge of such a stream, the diffuser cup 22 isemployed. By reason of the fact that the cup is provided with aplurality of perforations or holes 23, the water issuing from the ringvalve member under certain pressure, but at a pressure less than theinlet pressure, will fill the underside of the cup. Resistance to flowof the water is interposed by the cup and some of the Water escapesthrough the holes or perforations 23 in the cup bottom, whereuponentering the outlet bore 21 of the outlet member 24 in an ebullientstream, or in the form of a bubbler stream. The pressure of the bubblerstream is such that the stream issues from the duct I6 under a head ofseveral inches for convenient drinking.

It will be noted that the bubbler head of the present inventioncontemplates a casing structure having passageways through it of varyingcross-sectional areas, with means for reducing the inlet pressuretogether with means for difiusing the stream issuing from the pressurereducing-means to thereby provide a head for ebullient discharge ofliquid.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of constructionmay be varied through a wide range without departing from the principlesof this invention and it is therefore, not the purpose to limit thepatent granted hereon other than necessitated by the scope of theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. An outlet head for a bubbler type fountain structure comprisingcasing means formed with a passageway through it of varyingcross-sectional area and including an inlet, a valve chamber, a throat,and an outlet arranged in the order of flow; the junction between saidvalve chamber and throat providing an annular shoulder as a seat for avalve member of the type comprising an elastic ring compressible againstthe seat by pressure of liquid from the inlet; said throat beingconvergently shaped to receive a portion ofthe compressed ring to bendit, whereby the cross-sectional area of the ring orifice may be reducedto restrict flow through the throat; and a diffuser in said passagewaybeyond said throat to diffuse the liquid flowing therethrough.

2. An outlet head for a bubbler fountain comprising casing means havingpassageway through it of varying cross-sectional areas; said casingmeans passageway in the order of flow through it comprising an inlet, achamber of greater diameter than the inlet, a convergent throat whosemaximum diameter is less than the diameter of the chamber, and a ducthaving a diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the throat; therebeing an annular shoulder at the junction of the chamber and the throat;a second shoulder at the junction of the throat and the duct; a cuphaving a perforated bottom disposed on said last mentioned shoulder inupside-down position with its flange resting on said shoulder; an outletmember resting on said cup; the lower end of said member having anoutside diameter substantially that of the duct with the outsidediameter of the portion above the lower end of less diameter than theduct; said member having a bore through it and with a counterbore in itslower end having a diameter greater than the bore; and constructed toreceive a deformable elastic ring valve positioned against the firstmentioned shoulder for reducing the pressure of water entering thethroat from the inlet.

3. A head for a bubbler type drinking fountain comprising casing meanshaving passageway through it of varying cross-sectional areas; saidcasing means passageway in the order of flow through it comprising aninlet, a chamber of greater diameter than the inlet, a convergent throatwhose maximum diameter is less than the diameter of the chamber, and aduct having a diameter greater than the maximum diameter of the throat;there being an annular shoulder at the junction of the chamber and thethroat; a second shoulder at the junction of the throat and the duct;means resting on said last mentioned shoulder for diffusing waterissuing from said throat; an outlet member disposed in said duct, thelower end of said member having an outside diameter substantially thatof the duct with the outside diameter of the portion of the member abovethe lower end being of less diameter than the duct; said member having abore through it and having a counterbore in its lower end of greaterdiameter than its bore; said chamber constructed to receive a relativelythin elastic ring valve member in contact with the wall thereof andmovable against said first mentioned shoulder by water entering thepassageway, the edges of said convergent throat constructed to deformthe central portion of said ring against the flow of water against itsinlet surface and through its orifice to decrease the cross-sectionalarea of the orifice in the ring.

4. In a drinking fountain nozzle wherein inlet water flow isautomatically regulated and a water jet is directed through bafilemeans, the improvement of, a casing structure with an inlet, an outletand a body portion intermediate thereto, said structure defining asubstantially cylindrical channel of varying cross-sectional areas, aremovable difiusion mechanism comprising a perforated bafile bowl and ahollow cylindrical retainer of such an outside diameter as to lockinglyengage the walls of the cylindrical channel defined by said casingstructure, said mechanism transversely interposed within upper portionof said casing structure and operative to convert the inletjet stream ofliquid into an ebullient liquid mass, and a pressure control chamberformed in said channel to receive a deformable resilient ring valve toautomatically control flow of liquid by delivering a constant rate offlow through said nozzle irrespective of pressure variations in thefluid acting upon said valve, there being an annular shoulder at theoutlet end of said chamber engageable with the ring valve positioned insaid chamber to flexibly deform said ring valve against the liquid flowmoving toward said outlet.

5. In a bubbler fountain head including detachable aligned housingmembers, one of which is connected to a source of water under pressureand the other of which has a discharge orifice, a pressure controlchamber in one of said members in communication with said source andsaid orifice and adapted to receive a resilient rubber-like fiow controlring with its central aperture aligned with said discharge orifice, saidhousing member having said orifice forming an annular shoulderengageable with the edge of the ring around said central aperture tosupport said ring for deflection in response to variations in pressurewhereby a relatively constant rate of fluid will be delivered from thehead regardless of variations in pressure of the incoming fluid, and aperforated diffuser plate between said pressure chamber and saiddischarge orifice of the head for breaking up the liquid stream passingthrough the orifice into an ebullient flow for drinking purposes.

6. In a bubbler fountain head including detachable aligned housingmembers, one of which is connected to a source of water under pressureand the other of which has a discharge orifice, hollow cylindrical wallportions in one of said housing members forming a pressure controlchamber shaped to receive and position a resilient rubber-like flowcontrol ring between the housing members with its central aperturealigned with said discharge orifice, an annular shoulder on the orificeend of said chamber to engage the edge of the ring around said centralaperture and to deflect said ring against fluid flow through saidchamber to efiect a relatively constant rate of fluid delivery from thehead regardless of variations in pressure of the incoming fluid, aperforated difiuser plate between said chamber and the discharge orificeof the head for breaking up the liquid stream leaving the orifice intoan ebullient flow for drinking purposes, said diffuser plate and saidpressure chamber being coaxially aligned with the discharge orifice.

'7. In a bubbler head structure including a hollow cylindrical housinghaving a liquid inlet and also defining a liquid discharge and adrinking orifice, a shouldered chamber inwardly of the orifice but incommunication with both the inlet and the orifice to receive a resilientring of rubber-like material engageable with said chamber shoulder witha central pressure control orifice in alignment with said dischargeorifice, said shoulder presenting a substantially flat side engage-REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,065,586 Burr June 24, 19131,112,689 Donovan Oct. 6, 1914 1,158,147 Page Oct. 26, 1915' 1,183,920Wallace May 23, 1916 2,389,134 Brown Nov. 20, 1945 2,454,929 KemptonNov. 30, 1948

